MThe Order of Mendi for bravery - The Presidency
MThe Order of Mendi for bravery - The Presidency
MThe Order of Mendi for bravery - The Presidency
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<strong>M<strong>The</strong></strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mendi</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>bravery</strong>On 21 February 1917, the ship SS <strong>Mendi</strong> sank in the cold waters <strong>of</strong> the English Channel near the Isle <strong>of</strong> Wight, after being struck by anothership in an un<strong>for</strong>tunate naval accident. On board were more than 600 Black South African volunteer soldiers en route to France to assistin the Allied war ef<strong>for</strong>t during the First World War.<strong>The</strong> soldiers, and their fellow White <strong>of</strong>ficers, having all assembled on deck <strong>of</strong> the badly listing ship and realising their imminent deathbecause the portside lifeboats had been rendered unusable, began to sing and per<strong>for</strong>m a traditional death dance. Legend has it that theybravely resigned themselves to their fate and continued to sing be<strong>for</strong>e the vessel plunged to the seabed.In honour <strong>of</strong> the fearless men <strong>of</strong> the SS <strong>Mendi</strong>, this <strong>Order</strong> is awarded <strong>for</strong> acts <strong>of</strong> <strong>bravery</strong>.Fittingly, the central motif <strong>of</strong> the design <strong>of</strong> this <strong>Order</strong> is the oval shape <strong>of</strong> a traditional African shield, usually made from animal hide woveninto a rigid and durable armour and used <strong>for</strong> protection in close combat. <strong>The</strong> band, which renders the shape <strong>of</strong> the shield, is punctuatedwith the spoor <strong>of</strong> the lion, representing vigilance, power and <strong>bravery</strong>, and symbolising South Africa’s ef<strong>for</strong>ts at protecting its borders and thecountry. <strong>The</strong> band is criss-crossed with the tips and bases <strong>of</strong> a knobkierrie and a spear, traditional symbols <strong>of</strong> defence and honour.<strong>The</strong> central image within the shield is an image <strong>of</strong> the SS <strong>Mendi</strong> sailing on the waters <strong>of</strong> the English Channel.<strong>The</strong> depiction <strong>of</strong> the blue crane in flight above the SS <strong>Mendi</strong> symbolises the departing souls <strong>of</strong> the drowned soldiers. <strong>The</strong> feathers <strong>of</strong> theblue crane were traditionally conferred to adorn brave warriors during the time <strong>of</strong> colonial wars.<strong>The</strong> central image is sealed above by a green emerald which is surrounded on three sides by renditions <strong>of</strong> the bitter aloe, a hardy indigenousSouth African plant used in traditional medicine. <strong>The</strong> three bitter aloes represent resilience and survival and also serve as symbolicdirectional pointers, showing the way when rendering assistance to those in need during natural disasters.<strong>The</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mendi</strong> Decoration <strong>for</strong> Bravery award comprises three elements: a neck badge (a gold, silver or bronze medallion on a neckband); a miniature (a miniature gold, silver or bronze medallion <strong>for</strong> wearing as a brooch or on the breast pocket) and a lapel rosette (alsoin gold, silver or bronze).Recipients <strong>of</strong> this award are entitled to indicate that they have been invested with the relevant category <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Order</strong> by the use <strong>of</strong> the followingpost-nominal letters:• OMBG <strong>for</strong> recipients <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Order</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mendi</strong> <strong>for</strong> Bravery (gold)• OMBS <strong>for</strong> recipients <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Order</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mendi</strong> <strong>for</strong> Bravery (silver)• OMBB <strong>for</strong> recipients <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Order</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mendi</strong> <strong>for</strong> Bravery(bronze).Awards <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Order</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Mendi</strong> Decoration <strong>for</strong> Bravery are made to South Africans who have per<strong>for</strong>med acts <strong>of</strong> <strong>bravery</strong>. <strong>The</strong> act <strong>of</strong> <strong>bravery</strong>may have occurred anywhere in the world. This order is awarded in gold <strong>for</strong> exceptional acts <strong>of</strong> <strong>bravery</strong> in which awardees would haveplaced their lives in great danger or may have lost their lives in their ef<strong>for</strong>ts to save lives or property, in silver, <strong>for</strong> extraordinary acts <strong>of</strong> <strong>bravery</strong>through which recipients’ lives were placed in great danger while saving or trying to rescue persons or property, and in bronze <strong>for</strong> outstandingacts <strong>of</strong> <strong>bravery</strong> through which their lives were endangered while saving or trying to rescue persons or property.32
Neck badgeLapel rosetteMiniature